Assassins and Templars
by Ryuichifoxe
Summary: Life as an adult is hard enough, but being a child has its own set of challenges - Vieri can vouch for that.


_Firenze, Italia - 1464_

* * *

Even at a very young age, Vieri de'Pazzi was a violent and loud boy. Less so, now that he recalled, because his mother had always been there to calm his temper when the other kids would make fun of him. When he was on the verge of angry tears, she would be the one to scoop him up and tell him everything would be okay in the end. She kept his father at bay, or his temper, as best as she could. Not that the man was particularly abusive, but he certainly had the potential to be. At least, not until after his mother's passing,

It had been her idea, though - after seeing how poorly Vieri interacted with the other children his age - that he should spend more time trying to make friends. Of course, this had ended with the small Pazzi making 'enemies' with the oldest Auditore boy, Federico, who would tease him alongside his younger brother, Ezio. He hated the both of them equally.

Honestly, it had started innocent enough. They made a remark about his stature, off hand...no harm to come of it. Vieri had reacted angrily, shoving the younger Auditore to the ground. He had every right to be upset, he was older, and yet they treated him younger. Of course, this didn't sit well with Federico, who quickly came to his baby brother's defense and stole the older child's hat. From there, it became a game, each brother tossing the hat to the other. Always just slightly out of Vieri's reach.

The game was brought to an abrupt end after they reached the river that cut through the city, and Ezio threw the hat, without thinking, into the water. Of course, the two brothers laughed and taunted the older Pazzi, remarking on how it was only a hat and that more could be bought. This was true, even Vieri knew it, and it wasn't as if the hat held sentimental value because it certainly did not. No, it held monetary value, something that was worth much more.

Vieri tried to grab at the hat, knowing full well that it was well out of his reach. The further away it drifted, the more his stomach tied into knots - his father was going to kill him. His frightened and sickened expression went unnoticed by Ezio, who was already distracted by some fuzzy creature that had scrambled in his line of sight. Federico, on the other hand, took not of it, and looked from the small boy to the hat drifting with the current.

Fueled by rage at the verbal lashing he was sure to receive, Vieri gave the Auditore boys a nasty look and threw out one insult after another. He didn't care that one of the adults might here his colourful use of words, a few he had picked up from his father. The other two boys simply stared in wide-eyed confusion, likely at not knowing quite a few of the words slung their way. When he ran out of words, and felt a little satisfied at their speechlessness, Vieri stormed off. He would just have to find the hat later, come up with an excuse for his parents until he did so. When his hat was safe and sound again, he would make sure to shove Ezio into the river as revenge. For now, though, he was required to be home, and to miss dinner with his family was a crime in the eyes of Francesco.

* * *

Federico had watched the small Pazzi storm off and then escorted his little brother home, before retrieving the hat that had still been floating atop the waters surface. Yes, he had ruined his brand new clothes to get it, but he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something bad would happen to Vieri if his hat was not returned. He'd never seen him with an expression other than a frown, so to see him so distraught was strange.

The hat tucked under his arm, the small Auditore knocked as hard as he could on the large doors of the Pazzi Palazzo. He stood for what seemed like an eternity, hearing only muffled voices from inside the home, before the door was flung open and an angry Francesco was in the archway. Oh, but he didn't look happy. As if the man hadn't looked imposing enough, his scowl only worsened when he realised who the small child was.

"What do you want, brat?"

Lips pursed, Federico only offered up the lost item, an unsure smile on his face," It is Vieri's, Messer Pazzi. He lost it playing with us today, so I thought to return it to him."

Behind the terrible Pazzi stood Vieri and his sister, whom had been curious enough to see who was at the door. Upon spotting his hat, his face fell - the cruel look his father gave him only made his heart lodge in his throat. He shot Federico a hateful, albeit frightened scowl.

Francesco politely snatched the hat from the Auditore's hands, his smile fake and strained," Grazie, boy, now go home before you take away from our dinner any more than you already have. Your father should teach you to respect others, and value family time instead of letting you run about as free as animals."

The door was promptly slammed in his face, which Federico stared at in utter disbelief. He stuck his tongue out, now that no one could see, and turned on his heel. Having taken no more than a few steps, he could hear Francesco's voice yelling, and it peaked his curiousity. Federico carefully stepped back to the house, peeking in through a window to get a better look.

Vieri stood silently, staring at the floor as his father raged. He was scolding his son on being irresponsible and for playing with an Auditore. The hat was flung to the ground before the young Pazzi, who did little more than glare at it. The lecture carried on for a few minutes before Francesco finally stopped, ordering his child to go to his room. Vieri looked at the man and then to his mother, who was standing by the entrance to the dining hall, as if needing reassurance before he did as told.

Somehow, this didn't seem quite right to the young Auditore. His family never behaved like this, nor did his father ever scold him badly enough to cause tears to sting at his eyes. He chewed at his lips and left the Pazzi residence, quietly pondering over every thing he had just witnessed. Guilt settled in his stomach, knowing that he and his baby brother had been the ones' responsible for Vieri's lecture.

He would have to do something to make up for it...

* * *

_A/N_  
_HAHAOOPS~ I originally posted this last night, and by last night...I mean I stayed up until 6 in the morning writing. 8I Anyway, short story is short, but I intend to write longer chapters as it goes on. I've not written stories outside of drabbles in, well, a year. This is to test the waters and get my ass back in gear. /flips self Things to remember, or of importance? Vieri is about ten here, Federico is eight, and Ezio is six. Francesco is a prick, Vieri's mother is not. The Auditore family will be brought into it, but you'll have to wait and see this all in time._


End file.
